Gas fired barbecue grills have become increasingly popular as a means for outdoor cooking. These appliances have supplanted older style charcoal grills as a preferred method of outdoor cooking for a number of reasons. Gas barbecue grills are able to provide an almost instantaneous source heat as opposed to what is typically at least a thirty minute wait for charcoal grills to achieve a cooking temperature. Gas grills also burn clearer and thus alleviate some of the environmental and health concerns associated with charcoal grills.
The basic design for a gas barbecue grill includes a bottom casting or fire box which contains a burner element, a grate on which food is placed, disposed above the burner element, and in most cases a radiant material of some type. It is common for such appliances to be mounted on a wheeled cart and, in some cases, on a fixed post or stand which is secured to a deck or patio. While this basic design is relatively common throughout the industry, there are some attendant disadvantages. The evacuation of grease from gas grills is always a concern as grease accumulation can cause flare-ups, thus affecting cooking performance and also detracting from the condition and appearance of the grill. As gas barbecue grills are outdoor appliances, they are subjected to weather extremes. Since many of the burner parts and associated venturi tubes, gas conduit lines, etc. are made of steel, rust protection is also a concern. Of utmost importance, of course, is the cooking performance, which depends of many factors such as the type of burner, type of radiant, the casting design and other factors. It is to the overall improvement of cooking performance and the elimination of some of the disadvantages attendant in some prior art gas barbecue grills to which the present invention is directed.